How can I clear my mind for a couple of minutes?

I find myself thinking a lot. Way more than I really should. Sometimes it's school, money, girlfriend, etc etc. I just want to be able to relax my mind for a couple of minutes. I've tried listening to music, but it's not working. I play the guitar so whatever music i'm listening to, I automatically relate it to my instrument. [i dont mind this, i love all music] but i really just want to clear my mind..like nothing at all. I've been way to stressed. Any ideas? thanks for readingHow can I clear my mind for a couple of minutes?
To interrupt your thoughts,


and to connect yourself with ';the present'; here and now,


use the process of accessing each of your 5 senses.


The psychological term is called ';grounding';.





Begin by closing your eyes for 3 seconds, and speaking the word ';stop';


In your immediate area search with your eyes to find


-- 5 different colors


touch


-- 4 different textures


listen for


-- 3 different sounds


search with your nose


-- 2 different smells


with your tongue


-- taste a strong flavor (peppermint, etc.)





You may also use cold water to wash your face or wrists. This will also draw your attention to your current surroundings.





Take a few deep breaths, exhaling long and deep.





The next step is to purpose to concentrate on something new,


such as your music, something you read, to focus your mind on a different train of thought.How can I clear my mind for a couple of minutes?
I learned in a breathing class when I was pregnant how to relax by looking into a burning candle in a relaxed setting. When a thought comes into your head, just ignore it and concentrate on the calm, warm and fuzzy feeling you get from the candle. Weird, I know but it works. Everyone needs 15 minutes a day of quiet time. And if you need help to sleep and not think... Lay face up, your hands down at your sides and concentrate on your toes. Imagine they are tingling. Then go on to your feet, then your shins, your calves, and so on, all the way to your head and hands and fingers. By the time you get to your arms you should be fast asleep. Good luck.
Try sprinting around a track... Whenever my mind is running I find doing the same helps. Sometimes a good vigorous workout will chill out your mind for a bit. After you get a good burn going, stretch and focus on your breathing, telling yourself to release the chatter with each exhalation, and when you inhale, feel yourself be grounded.
Mmmm, I'd say music but you say no. I usually lie in the dark with eyes closed and my headphones as close as possible so that I perceive every possible background sound, as if I fly , as if I dip in a sea of sound.After an hour, I feel brand new. And I don't think during that, believe me. Somehow as if the music takes control and I just float. But the closed eyes and the dark room aslo help.





Good luck
1) Exercise - something fast preferably


2)Yoga(esp pranayam)/deep breathing


3) Meditation - which may not be very easy if your mind is too full, so just try the top two.
for me to clear my mind, i meditate, listen to calm and soothing music (try yirumas piano pieces :) , watch tv, or play games.


hope that helps :)
I know this sounds cliche but I recently took up Yoga and it's amazing for that! I know it's not very ';manly'; but I won't tell if you don't!
deep breaths actually help.





P.S I think theres no such thing as thinking too much. Unless your about to do something, just make a decision and run with it
the thing that works for me is playing video games


try doing something fun


that always takes your mind of stress
Take up a small carving project as a creative outlet.
alcohol works wonders. but i wouldn't recommend it.
if your not into it, but smoking weed.





drinking water.





writing things out.
take long showers it works for me
I was planning on answering just a couple quick questions before I went to bed then I see this question. I don't know of a short way of putting this. IT is a bit of a process to be able to ';clear your mind'; when you do a number of things may happen. You could enter nirvana which for me was an extremely colorful and euphoric state that I thoroughly was enjoying then I got to thinking about it instead of just being and had to train myself to deal with just being there because when I got to thinking about it I came back to my conscious mind and way of thinking. Another possibility is scaring the heck out of yourself. SOme people have hallucinations and other very vivid feelings both emotional and physical when meditating. Another very common thing to happen to the untrained person who is trying to meditate is that they tend to fall asleep. To begin meditating you of course should speak to your doctor. Ok got that disclaimer out of the way. I begin by systematically flexing then releasing each individual muscle in my body while breathing in slowly and exhaling slowly (about 3 to 6seconds for each inhale and exhale). Start with your feet and slowly move up to your head. After you do that SLOWLY. continue to breath in and out very slowly while counting backwards from 108. It may help in the beginning to imagine each number in your head to prevent random thoughts from invading your meditation or mind. As you breath in know for a fact that the air your breathing in are cleansing your mind and body as well as the fact that the expelled air is helping to detoxify you. Feel the breath enter each part of your body . Let yourself go. you may want to tell yourself before you begin that for the next 10 minutes you don' t need to do anything else. that for the next 10 minutes you don' t want or need to do anything and believe it. after you meditate for those 10 minutes over the next few months as you learn how to control and let go increase it to a full hour. Imagining your happy place like a meadow full of long bladed grass with some yellow flowers and a huge willow tree in the center next to a pond may help you to reach your center.